Alchemists and Monsters
by Dream Dragoness
Summary: Yugi's pen pal from Amestris is moving to Domino with her family and Yugi is excited. However, when the Elrics find themselves in a ancient mystery that is set on taking their live, can Yugi trust his other friends with their most guarded secret? YugixOC
1. Prologue: The Accident

Alchemists and Monsters

_A Yu-Gi-Oh!-Fullmetal Alchemist Fanfic_

_Summary: Unbeknownst to his friends, Yugi has had a friend from his earliest childhood. How did they meet? What happens when she and her family move from her hometown to Domino City? Read on and find out _

_YugixOC, MokubaxOC_

_Disclaimer I Do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Fullmetal Alchemist_

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**Prologue**

**The Accident**

_October 31, 2000_

_11:30 PM: Domino City_

Halloween, a holiday dedicated to the nightmarish fantasizes of the human mind. Ghosts, goblins and bats cover every corner of Domino City. But for a family of four in the far off town of Risenbool and a young boy in Domino, a horrific, true nightmare would take place.

A six-year-old boy named Yugi was just recently put to bed by his grandfather after a night of trick-or-treating. The boy dreamed about the supply of candy he would get to eat the following day. But that changed on the stroke of midnight.

* * *

11:55 PM: Risenbool

Out of all the children in the world who celebrated, one child worked in desperation to attempt a very difficult act. Erin Elric, granddaughter of The Fullmetal Alchemist: Edward Elric; placed a group of ingredients in a uniquely drawn circle. A transmutation circle.

"That should be it." Spoke the six-year-old girl. "Now, just a drop of blood and Mommy will come back."

Erin pricked her finger with a knife and allowed a drop of her blood to fall on the pile of ingredients. She then went to the outside of the circle, careful not to smudge the chalk marks. Erin then got down on her knees, clapped her hands, and placed them on the ground, causing the circle to glow. That was when Yugi saw in his dream what had happened.

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* * *

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November 1st, 2000

_12:00 AM: Risenbool and Yugi's dream_

Yugi then saw Erin in her dark basement, not knowing who she is, except that she was kind of cute, or where he was. The boy saw the circle and the glow, but the girl's eyes gave him her feelings. Despair turning into joy as the pile of ingredients combined, but then, a doorway appeared. Erin looked at the door; unsure on what was going on, reached out to the door with her right arm. A mistake she would eternally regret.

The children then saw the door open, and multiple sets of eyes stared out at Erin. Yugi then knew what the girl did was a bad idea.

"Hey! Hey! Close that door!" Yugi cried out. But his cries were barley heard by Erin when a group of tentacles came rushing out of the door, grabbing Erin's right arm and left leg in the process. Panicked, the girl began to scream.

Yugi then tried to grab Erin to get her free, but he just went through her, like a ghost. Desperate to save her, the young boy screamed for help like Erin was doing. After a few minutes of screaming and struggling, the basement door burst open. An elderly man, who looked like he could pull off being young, saw what was happening. "Erin!" the man screamed in fear. The man then turned to the door.

"Al! Alphonse Elric, get down here and help me! Erin's in the process of Human Transmutation!" When the man and a larger, armored being came down to the basement, they began to work.

Yugi could only watch as the men used some sort of magic to close the gate, but as soon as the boy looked at Erin, he screamed. Erin's arm and leg had been literally torn from her body, leaving bleeding stumps. Yugi looked for Erin's limbs, only to see the trail of blood leading to the center of the circle where the door was. The door was replaced by a horrific-looking corpse. The boy could only conclude that the limbs were taken to create this…monstrosity. "Al, watch over Alice! I'll get Erin to the hospital!" A young boy's voice then spoke. "But brother…" "Now Al!" the short man yelled, scooping up his granddaughter in the process. At the moment the man left with Erin, Yugi woke up.

* * *

_12:30 AM: Domino City_

Yugi was panting heavily, tears stained his pajamas and his cheeks, his throat sore from screaming.

_Erin, what happened to Erin!_

The door to Yugi's bedroom opened in a flash and the boy's grandfather appeared. "Yugi! What's the matter?"

Yugi told his grandfather what had happened. "We have to find out what happened to her, Grandpa! We have to!" the terrified boy cried.

"Now, now Yugi. It might be just a nightmare. Did you hear any names?" The elderly man asked, not knowing why he asked for any names.

Yugi thought for a moment and spoke. "Yes! They were Erin, Alice and Alphonse Elric." At the sound of the name "Elric," the man's expression changed to worry. He got up, went down the stairs with Yugi following, and went for the phone. He turned to his grandson again.

"Are you sure it's 'Elric'?" The boy nodded fiercely. The old man then dialed the number for the Elric house.

After an hour, the man set the receiver back. Yugi, noticing this, asked. "What did he say?" His grandfather sat down next to the boy and gave him the news.

"You were right on the money with the dream, Yugi. Everything you said was true." Yugi continued to listen.

"After the accident, Erin's grandfather, Edward, took her to the hospital. The doctors managed to sew her up, stopping her bleeding. But she may have to get metal limbs so she can walk again. No doubt the event will traumatize her for life, though"

Yugi breathed a sigh of relief. Erin did not die. But how was it possible that he dreamt the accident at the same time it was happening? He asked his grandfather but he shook his head. "I don't know, Yugi. But I have a feeling that the two of you were brought together for a special reason. And that I do not know." Yugi pondered at the thought. He then asked his grandfather. "Were does she live?" "In a town called Risenbool, in Amestris." _That's far away!_ The boy was even more intrigued on what had happened. "Do you have her address?" the boy asked.

His grandfather answered, curious on what his grandson was planning. "I do, Yugi. I am good friends with her grandfather and grand uncle and we write letters every month. Why?" Yugi answered his question with his trick-or-treat bag.

"Can I send her this and anything that could help her?" The boy's grandfather then realized what Yugi had in mind. He wanted to send a care package to the Elric child and help her through her recovery. "You know, that's not a bad idea, Yugi. I'll pick up some bandages and anything else we can think of in the morning."

Yugi then asked his grandfather, "How long until she gets the package?" "Since Risenbool is in Amestris, it may take about a week for them to get it."

Yugi was ready to get to work, the vision making him unable to sleep. He found a large cardboard box and began to bag the non-perishable treats. He then placed in some toys that he thought that she might like. While his grandfather began to finish up the package, Yugi retreated to his room to write a letter. With the following morning approaching, Yugi finally fell asleep, while his grandfather took the package to the post office.

* * *

_Risenbool, Amestris_

_Elric Home_

_November 8th, 2000; Noon_

It was a week after the accident and Erin was finally coming home. She expected to return with a solemn look on her face, but now she was just happy to be home. Her grandfather didn't scold her for what she had done, but rather explained to her on how he and Al got their current bodies. Just like her. According to the doctor, Erin will be having automail limbs for the rest of her life. Again, one would expect her to be upset. But, thanks to Edward Elric, the young alchemist left the hospital and came home with a smile.

When the car came to a halt at the house, the older Elric's were soon greeted by the younger ones.

"Welcome home, Erin." The metal man, her grand-uncle Alphonse, called.

The armor was holding an infant in his arms, Alice. With her grandfather's help, Erin was wheeled into the house and carried up to her room. Ed, who did the grunt work, groaned at Al.

"Tell me why again do we have to take Erin up to her room now?" "Because she got something in the mail the other day." This peaked Erin's interest. Who was sending her a present that day?

Ed place Erin on her bed while Al set Alice in her cradle and brought the package. Ed looked at the package and then spoke to his granddaughter.

"Apparently, it seems the grandson of an old friend of ours sent you a get well present."

Erin became excited and as soon as her family left, she (with difficultly) opened the package. Inside were bandages, candy, a couple of toys and other items one would give to a sick person. Erin looked until she found a letter with her name on the front. She opened the letter and read its contents:

_Dear Erin,_

_Hi. I'm Yugi Muto of Domino City, that's in Japan by the way, and I saw what had happened to you on Halloween night. I was asleep when I saw you use what my grandpa called "alchemy" to do something, I don't know what. I know it sounds crazy but it's true. My grandpa talked to your family over the phone since that night. To help you get better, me and my grandpa sent you the most of my Halloween candy I got that night, bandages and anything else you might need. I also sent a picture so that you'd know what I look like._

_I know it's weird to get what Grandpa called a care-package from someone you don't know, but when I saw what had happened, I got worried for you. I hope this will make us friends and maybe pen pals. _

_I hope to hear from you soon, Erin._

_Sincerely, _

_Yugi Muto._

Erin's eyes widened with each word, surprised and touched at what the letter said. Setting the letter down, she looked through the box until she found a school photo of a boy her age. He had a star-shaped hairdo that was in three colors: red, black, and blond. She thought it was weird, but cool. But what caught her eye the most were his own eyes. Tinted in an unusual violet, she thought they were beautiful.

As soon as she set the photo down, Erin then thought,_ He was so sweet to me and we've never met before. _Smiling, Erin decided to return the letter.

"Grandpa! Uncle Al! Where's the typewriter?" Confused, Alphonse came up the stairs with an old typewriter and some paper. "Why do you need it?" the armored man asked. Erin handed him the letter.

As Al read, he began to smile, if he could. Al asked his Grand-niece, "You're going to write back to him, aren't you?" Erin nodded as she struggled to get the paper in the typewriter. "Yea, he was so nice. And from the way he wrote the letter, I think we can be friends. But since I can't write now, I need the typewriter."

As Al helped Erin with the paper, he asked, "Do you want a photo to send him?" Erin nodded again. "I want at least one of everyone and one with all of us." "Even without your limbs?" "Even without my limbs." The young alchemist grinned.

Smiling (somewhat), Al left Erin to report to his brother. Ed, looking at his brother, asked. "Well?" Alphonse explained what Erin was planning and showed Edward the letter. As Edward read, he smiled. "So that's why Solomon called that night." Looking at his brother, Ed asked.

"So she's typing to him right now?" Al nodded. "She also wants to send pictures of us to him. One of each of us and one group photo." The Fullmetal Alchemist smiled, "Well, we'd better get to work."

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* * *

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Domino City, Japan

_Turtle Game Shop_

_3:15 PM, November 15th, 2000_

As Yugi came home from school, he noticed his grandfather smiling. "Everything okay, Grandpa?"

His grandfather looked to his grandson, continuing to smile. "You got a package from a Miss Elric from Risenbool, Yugi. It's up in your room right now."

It took Yugi only a second to figure out what he meant before he ran up the stairs into his bedroom. On his bed was a small, thick package that he tore open quickly. He then saw it was a box of photographs and a letter that was a bit thicker than his own letter. Eager to hear from Erin, he read the letter.

_Dear Yugi,_

_Thank you so much for sending me the care package, I appreciate it. It was very thoughtful of you to do such a thing. But I also know that I have some explaining to do._

_The first thing is what happened that night._

_You see, my sister, Alice, and I are daughters of an alchemist. My father left for some sort of research expedition and never came back. I figured that he just abandoned us. Shortly after Alice was born, my mom, Maria, came down with an illness. Sadly, she didn't survive, leaving me and Alice in the care of my grandfather: The Fullmetal Alchemist Edward Elric. Since Alice is a baby, I'm not sure if she misses mom now. I, on the other hand, loved mom dearly and wanted her back. So I studied my grandfather's alchemy books until I found an article on Human Transmutation. You already saw the results._

_After I woke up in the hospital, I found I was missing an arm and a leg, literally. Granddad, who was in the recovery room with me, explained to me that he and his brother, my grand-uncle Alphonse, did the same thing to try and bring back Great-grandma Trisha. They too failed._

_So now, I will be getting automail limbs when I heal up a bit. To be honest, I was a little gloomy until I got your package. You have no idea how much you've done for me, Yugi. _

_I don't know if it will equal to what you gave me, but I am sending you these photos of me, my family, and my hometown of Risenbool. If it's not enough, just let me know. And for your last concern, I would be honored to be your friend/pen pal._

_I hope to hear from you soon and maybe our grandfathers will let us talk to each other on the phone at least once in a while._

_Thank you very much for your kindness._

_Sincerely,_

_Erin Elric_

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_This is my first Fic on . Please, no flames._


	2. The Arrival of the Elric Clan

**Chapter 1**

**The Arrival of the Elric Clan**

It has been ten years since the terrible night that brought Yugi and Erin together, sort of. Every month, the pair sent letters to each other detailing about the month of silence between letters. When Yugi reached nine, he came up with an idea for a video letter. That way, it would save paper and no more writer's cramps for him. Erin followed suit.

After the events that made him the King of Games seven years later, Yugi then received a video letter from Erin, which was a first since he always sent his letters first. In this new video, Erin told Yugi that her family was moving to Domino City to teach a new class, Alchemy 101, that was going to be initiated in the fall semester. Erin also noted that the first thing she and her family will do when they get there was to visit the shop to meet with the Muto family, face-to-face.

Filled with excitement that his childhood friend and pen pal was moving to Domino and visiting first, Yugi, with the help of his grandfather, began to plan and set up for a surprise welcoming party.

On the day the Elric's were to arrive, Yugi noticed four familiar faces walking up to the shop. Joey, Tristan, Tea, and Bakura,entered the game shop and saw the decorations.

"Yo, Yugi, ya throwin' a party and didn't invite us?" his second best friend, Joey Wheeler, commented.

A little embarrassed, Yugi answered, "Sorry guys, this is a family party."

Tea was the first to ask, "Family party?"

"Yes, a welcoming party for the newest residents of the city. The eldest child of them is Yugi's pen pal. Since she wrote that they were coming here first, we'd thought we'd throw them a party to welcome them." Solomon Muto answered as he carried some food to a long table in the private backyard of the shop.

The four then looked at their friend. "Pen Pal?"

Yugi sighed and told them about Erin and her family, leaving the parts about the accident out of the conversation.

"…so now they are moving here to teach Alchemy 101 next fall." At the end of the explanation, the five were now interested to meet the Elric clan.

But another question came to Tea's mind. "How did you meet Erin?"

Yugi's face turned solemn for a moment before he spoke, "I can't tell without her permission." Questionable looks befell their faces.

Solomon came back in and said, "I'm sure she will let him tell you in due time. But all we can say was that Yugi witnessed an accident that nearly took Erin's life."

Now they were more interested in the Elric child.

Solomon then added, "You can stay and meet them _if_ you help us finish up."

And that's what they did.

* * *

By the time the final touches were made, Yugi heard the sound of a car pulling up to the shop. He looked out and saw a short, old man dressed in red and black in the driver's seat and a suit of armor in the passenger seat.

"They're here!" Yugi cried as he bolted out of the shop, eager to greet the Elric Clan.

As the two men got out of the car, Alphonse spotted Yugi and then spoke to his brother. "Brother, there's Yugi."

The Fullmetal Alchemist grinned as Yugi approached them.

Yugi waved as he approached the pair. "Hey Ed, Al. Welcome to Domino City."

The Elric Brothers waved back. "Thanks, Yugi. Glad to finally meet you in person."

Ed then looked around. "Where's your grandfather? Al and I wanna have a chat with him."

Yugi replied, "He's inside."

Thanking Yugi, the brothers headed for the shop, knowing that Yugi would want to see the sisters.

The King of Games then heard a meek voice speak. "Hi, Yugi."

Yugi turned his body towards the car and saw a young girl about ten waving and sticking her head out of the car. Her hair was long and brown and she donned black glasses and a powder blue dress.

Yugi immediately recognized her from the videos Erin sent. "Hey, Alice."

Alice called out. "We'll be right there. Sister's getting my chair."

When he turned eight, Yugi received a letter from Erin about Alice. Apparently, something went wrong at her birth, resulting in her becoming paralyzed from the waist down. This was one of the things he knew Erin fussed about. Not because of the strain on her body for taking care of her sister, but the worry for her health. He knew Erin was a good sister, so he didn't mind if a letter or a video came late because of Alice's health.

As Yugi greeted the youngest of the Elric clan, he heard scuffling as something came around the car.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." he heard. That's when he saw his childhood pen pal.

Erin was an inch or two taller than him, inheriting her grandfather's short stature. Her blond hair grew to her shoulders and was braided. She was dressed in a black t-shirt and pants, wearing black shoes and a red coat she received from her grandfather. Her golden eyes shining brightly.

In other words, she was beautiful to Yugi's eyes.

Erin gave a grin as she saw him and gave a wave with one arm. "Hey, Yugi! Nice to finally meet you."

Yugi grinned back. "Nice to finally meet you too, Erin."

"Just give me and Alice a minute, ok?"

Yugi nodded in understanding as Alice opened the car door and Erin wheeled her chair over to her. Once the chair was at an angle, Erin placed Alice's arm over her shoulders and half-carried her to her chair. After setting her in her chair, Erin got a grey blanket from the car and handed it to Alice, who used it to cover her legs. The elder sister then wheeled her sister over to Yugi.

Remembering about the party of four that had recently come to the party, Yugi spoke to the sisters. "H-hey, I forgot to tell you. Some friends of mine came over about an hour ago. Grandpa said it was ok to tell them about you two and your family."

Erin gave an apprehensive look, thinking about the promise the two made years ago.

Alice, seeing this, spoke up. "Don't worry, sister. I'm sure Yugi didn't say anything on what happened."

"She's right, Erin. The only ones in Domino who know are me and Grandpa." Yugi replied in his defense. There words relived Erin. After all, the event was not a good memory.

After a moment of relief, the three then heard a familiar voice yell, "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A PEA-SIZED MOSQUITO, YOU BRAT!"

The three sweat-dropped as the recognized the voice as Edward.

Sighing, Erin groaned, "Someone called Granddad 'small' again."

Alice nodded in embarrassment. "Pray that Uncle Al keeps him from beating up whoever said that."

Yugi sighed as he figured who would say that. "Must be either Joey or Tristan."

With embarrassment and dread, the three headed into the shop.

* * *

Sure enough, Al was keeping an infuriated Ed from trying to kill Joey.

Solomon gave a hearty laugh as he replied, "Ha-ha, you're still sensitive about the height problem, huh?"

Tristan was snickering while Tea and Bakura could only watch the scene before them while Joey recovered from the surprised-by-the-yell-induced heart attack.

"Jeez Louise, why didn't you tell me that he would get like that."

Solomon knew the answer: because it was more fun if Joey found out for himself.

Yugi, Erin, and Alice just sweat-dropped.

_And I was hoping no one would call him that today._ Alice thought. _I just hope they don't say the same about Erin._

But of course, when Joey noticed Erin, his mouth went off before he had a chance to think. "Wow! This is her? You didn't tell me she was short, Yugi."

Erin got mad and anime-flailed, "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A RUNT SO TINY THAT THEY CAN BE ONLY BE SEEN BY A MAGNIFYING GLASS, YOU JERK!"

Like with his brother, Alphonse held back his grandniece. "Now, now, you two."

Alice gave a sigh. _Well, so much for that._

To the gang's surprise, Tea began to laugh. Everyone, including the Elric's, looked at her, confused.

"Ha-ha, finally, a girl that can give him a piece of her mind."

The group sweat-dropped, save for Solomon, who was chuckling at the realization that the two Elric's were alike, and Erin, who grinned, trying not to be embarrassed by her outburst.

As soon as the two Elric's calmed down, Tea introduced herself, shaking hands with each member of the family.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Tea Gardner."

"Same here. I'm Erin."

"Likewise. I'm Alice."

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Gardner. I'm Alphonse."

"And I'm Edward, Tea."

The boys than introduced themselves, with Joey keeping away from Ed and Erin.

"Da name's Joey. Joey Wheeler."

"Tristan Taylor's the name."

"And I am Ryo Bakura. Pleasure to have met you."

With introductions out of the way, the party finally began.

* * *

As the party commenced, a question came to Bakura's mind. "Mr. Muto, how did you and the Elric Brothers meet?"

This soon became a question that plagued everyone's minds, including Yugi, Erin, and Alice.

Solomon then looked to Edward with a grin. "Should we tell them?"

"Might as well. Otherwise, Erin would go nuts if she goes without knowing."

The Fullmetal Alchemist grinned, while his granddaughter glared at him. "Not funny, gramps."

Jokes and chuckles aside, the three elderly men looked for a place to sit. Solomon took one armchair while Edward took the other, while Alphonse sat on the floor.

Solomon then began the tale.

"Well, it all started fifty years ago. I was an apprentice archeologist in Egypt when the crew came upon an important discovery. An ancient door within a tomb we were excavating. Excited as we were, we knew that once the news of the door broke out, tomb robbers would come.

"I remember that one of the archeologists was talking to a man from the Amestrian military on the radio, asking to send some soldiers to guard the site and the crew, but the man on the radio said that he had the perfect pair of men to guard the site. A state alchemist who was said to be a prodigy, becoming the youngest state alchemist at the age of twelve."

He then gestured to Ed, who was grinning proudly. "The Fullmetal Alchemist: Edward Elric."

Ed then took the floor. "Al and I were sent by our superior, Colonel Mustang, to guard this site. Of course, I didn't care for the desert, so when we got there, the first person to meet us was Solomon here." He said, gesturing to the other man.

"The first thing he said to us was 'You're the Fullmetal Alchemist? Lord, if you keep standing there, you'll shrink even more."

Solomon chuckled at the memory as he said, "And he yelled at me just as he did to Joey here. I believe you said 'who are you calling a tiny, shriveled up raisin, you moron'."

The two men laugh as Al told his brother. "You see, Ed? I said that you two would laugh at this one day."

The group snickered at the thought of the three meeting on that day.

Alphonse then continued for the other two.

"As you can tell, my brother and Solomon didn't get along at first. For a week, every conversation they had always ended up in an argument and eventually, a fight. I took me and several of the men to pull them apart, trying to resist knocking them into comas.

Then, on the second week, Solomon and another apprentice went inside the tomb while Ed and I investigated a series of sabotages that prolonged the excavation. Once we realized who the culprit was, we then knew that Solomon was in danger. Brother told me to get the rest of the crew while he went inside to save Solomon, despite their disagreements."

Solomon then took the stage. "Once the apprentice and I were in the tomb, we solved the riddle to open the door. Inside was a pharaoh's burial chamber, more elaborate than any of the burial chambers within the other tombs. That was where I found the box with the Millennium Puzzle inside."

This new information surprised Yugi and his Domino City friends. As he looked at the completed puzzle around his neck, he wondered if the Pharaoh inside recognized the elder brother from that day. The Elric's remain unaware on what had happened that year to Yugi and his friends.

Solomon continued. "Once I held the box, the other apprentice held a gun at my head, revealing to be a tomb robber. He demanded that I had over the box, but I was scared at the time, not knowing on what to do. And just as the thief was getting impatient, Edward stormed in and punched him in the mouth. I still get nauseous every time I remember the blood and teeth.

I watch as Ed revealed the thief to be the saboteur, determined to slow the excavation to a halt so that he could steal the treasure. The two fought and eventually, I ended up in it. However, the thief then ran out the door and sealed the chamber with explosives. Seeing that the smallest use of Alchemy could result in a cave-in, all Ed and I could do was to wait for help.

Eventually, we got to talking and began to learn about each other instead of trying to kill each other. It was then I learned why Ed's punches and kicks were so powerful."

Solomon then looked at Ed, who in turn, removed his glove, sock, and boot and lifted his left pant leg and right sleeve. It was then Joey, Tristan, Bakura, and Tea gasped at what they had seen.

"Mr. E, you got metal limbs?" Joey asked in astonishment.

Ed nodded. He and Solomon talked about this before his granddaughters and Yugi came in, so he was prepared, with Al's consent, of course.

"When I was a boy, Al and I lost our mother to an illness and our father had left us a year before. We were young and foolish back then, thinking that alchemy was the answer to everything. But when we attempted to bring her back with a forbidden transmutation, we have failed to remember Equivalent Exchange. We forgot the price of a human soul. That caused me to lose my leg and…" Ed then looked at Al before continuing. "Al lost his body."

The gang, save for the Sisters and Yugi, gasped in shock as Al removed his helmet to reveal that there was nothing inside. Nothing but a seal made in blood.

Edward continued to tell the tale to the shocked teenagers. "During that time, I came across an 'artifact' that called itself 'The Gate of Truth.' I learned the truth about alchemy at the price of my leg and Al's body. We never knew about this, so I was fascinated, until I saw my leg disappear right before my own eyes. I was then tossed back into this world, realizing what we had done, blood pouring from my stump and Al was nowhere to be found."

He paused for a moment before he continued. "I then looked at the center of the transmutation circle to find…an abomination. At the time, I thought it was our mother until a few years later, but that's another story. That…thing died as soon as it took its first breath."

Ed took a sip of some punch before he continued. "Filled with grief and despair, I put the knowledge I obtained inside the Gate to the test. I knocked over a suit of armor that was standing nearby and, using my own blood, made the seal that you see inside Al's body. And that was how I lost my arm."

Alphonse continued. "When I came to, I found my brother bleeding heavily and took him to our neighbor, who was a family friend and an automail mechanic. You can guess the rest."

The four teens could not believe what they had heard. These two men suffered so much, all because they wanted their mother back. And to be denied the goal after so much pain, it just wasn't fair.

"That's how I looked when Ed told me. Out of the other stories he had told me, I never heard such a tragic tale." Solomon replied before he continued with his story.

"A couple of hours later, Al and the rest of the crew came and got us out. He had captured the thief while we were trapped. But in truth, I was grateful to him. Since I could not have two new best friends without the trouble he caused. But once we obtained better security, the brothers had to leave."

Edward continued. "But the three of us made a pact: to write letters to each other every month for as long as we're alive." That concluded the story.

Yugi looked on as his friends sat on the couch in awe and shock at both stories. But those expressions turned into smiles once they realized the morel of the story: that friendship can survive even the passing of time.

Tea then looked at Erin, who had removed her coat to cool off, revealing her own automail. "Erin, you too?" she asked.

When Erin realized that the group was staring at her, she looked at Yugi. He understood her clearly. It was time.

* * *

At that moment, Yugi and Erin explained what had happened on that Halloween night all those years ago, baffling the others with Yugi's unique gift.

"So that's what ya meant earlier, Yugi." Joey replied at the end of the story, remembering Yugi's words of not telling them on the accident withour Erin's permission.

Yugi nodded. "After that night, we began to send letters and video mail to each other just like Grandpa and the Elric Brothers do."

The four smiled at the short boy's concern for the tragic girl. They knew that Yugi would do such a thing even at that age. "But we also made a promise not to tell anyone outside our families on what happened. At least, without Erin's permission."

Bakura spoke up. "We understand." He then looked to the eldest sister. "I'm certain that it was a very sensitive subject to be kept secret for so long."

Tea then responded, "So you don't need to worry about us. Your secrets safe with us, Erin."

That eased Erin's uneasiness, especially the realization that these four could be trusted and not judge her too harshly.

"Besides, your automail looks cool." Tristan replied, earning a grin from Erin.

Then, Joey opened his big mouth. "Yeah, it's a real cool piece of work, shortstop."

Again, the anime-flailing, "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A PIN-SIZED PIPSQUEAK!"

That got Joey and the others laughing; he was only teasing her after all.

* * *

At around midnight, the party finally ended as the Elric's left start leaving for their new house. Erin, now calm after her second outburst that night, invited Yugi and her newfound friends to their house the next day.

"We'll show you a thing or two about alchemy. Consider this as thanks for the welcome and the party."

"Sure thing, Erin." Tea replied, followed by similar remarks from the boys.

With a final wave good-bye, the Elric clan drove off, while the others returned to their homes to turn in.

* * *

Inside the Millennium Puzzle, however, Atem, the former Pharaoh of Egypt and the spirit of the Puzzle, had been observing the party from the beginning. He heard every word and was glad to meet the mysterious girl that his friend and host films to every month. He had to admit that the family was quite entertaining, particularly with the short tempers and outbursts of the eldest Elric brother and sister.

But, there was something about Erin that seemed, familiar. Earlier, he sensed great, but pure power within her. A familiar power. But he could not remember.

_Are you the reason the Millennium Items reappeared, Miss Elric?_

_

* * *

_

Hallejuliah! The first official Chapter of Alchemists and Monsters is finally up! Sorry for the wait, the site is having editing trouble, so i had to find an alternate way to put this on.

Thanks for everyone who liked my first fanfic and I also hope that it goes well and that you enjoy my other stories I have placed on .

Thank You and no flames please.


	3. Alchemy and Elric vs Kaiba

**Chapter 2:**

**Alchemy and Kaiba vs. Elric**

The next morning, Yugi got up earlier than usual to get himself ready. Today was the day that he and his friends were going to help the Elric's move into their new house. He was excited, especially since Erin promised him and his friends to display alchemy while they were at it. So, the King of Games quickly took his shower and got himself dressed in an old white sleeveless shirt, old denim shorts, socks and tennis shoes, and gloves. He wore the Millennium Puzzle as always.

Once he was clean and dressed, Yugi made his way down the stairs and ate breakfast with his grandfather.

"You and the others helping the Elric's today, Yugi?"

The boy nodded as he ate his cereal.

"Yes. We wanted to help them get settled and Erin promised to show us alchemy today."

The older man smiled as the young king eagerly ate.

"Perhaps Edward can tell you some stories about his time in the military. He told me plenty of things when we were trapped inside the tomb, all of them interesting."

Yugi nodded as his finished his breakfast and placed the dishes into the sink.

After he said good-bye to his grandpa, Yugi made his way to the crossroads were he and his friends would meet. As he approached, he found Tea and Bakura already there. Tea was dressed in a pair of capris, a pink tank top, sock and tennis shoes. Bakura was wearing a cream colored wife-beater with a pair of jeans and brown shoes.

"Hey, Yugi!" Tea called as she waved. "You ready for today?"

"Am I ever?" He called. \

As soon as he stopped to catch his breath, he continued to speak. "I can't believe I'm going to see alchemy at first hand."

This confused the remaining two friends.

"Huh? Didn't Erin show you alchemy in your video letters?"

Realizing this, Yugi scratch his head, chuckling nervously. "Ah-ha…she did. But this will be my first time seeing alchemy in person."

"That is understandable, Yugi. I, too, am very excited to witness such a fascinating science." Bakura replied.

* * *

As Tea and Bakura began to talk about alchemy, Yugi took the time to speak with the Pharaoh inside the Millennium Puzzle.

_"Are you excited to watch the Elric's alchemy, Atem?" _

_"I am, my friend. And I must say, you have quite the friends, Yugi." _

_"I know. But…I still have to tell Erin about you. I promised her years ago that we wouldn't keep secrets such as this from each other." _

_"I understand, Yugi. But I can tell that Miss Erin is a woman of science and alchemy. To explain something that seems illogical to her might need a bit of effort. If need to, I can appear before her." _

_"No, you don't have to, Atem. I think I can convince her. But I will ask if I need the help."_

Yugi then notice that the Pharaoh was in deep thought.

"_You alright?" _

_"I am, my friend. I just have some memory I have yet to identify." _

_"You mean…there's something or someone you still forgot?" _

_"I'm not sure, Yugi. But if so, then I have more than one reason to believe that the Elric's are involved. Especially Miss Erin." _

_"Huh? Why would…" _

But Yugi's mental conversation was interrupted by the sound of Joey and Tristan running their way to the rendezvous point. Joey was wearing a green t-shirt and jean shorts with tennis shoes. Tristan was wearing a white tank top with torn jean shorts and brown shoes.

"*pant pant* Sorry we're late, guys. Our alarm clocks didn't go off today."

"Didn't you guys set them?" Tea asked the pair.

Realizing this, the boys chuckled nervously, scratching their heads.

As Tea scolded them, Yugi told the Pharaoh.

"_We'll talk later."_

The King of Games could sense the Pharaoh's approval. Once the lecture ceased, Yugi took out the address Erin had giving him and left with his friends to the new Elric residence.

* * *

A half-hour later, the four friends found themselves on the road outside Domino City. The road leads to a forest-filled mountain before continuing to the next town. Looking out to the city below, Tea spoke.

"Mr. Elric sure knows how to pick a spot. The view up here is beautiful."

Joey and Tristan were panting like dogs as they made their way up the hill.

"Are we there, _yet_?" Joey complained for the twentieth time.

Looking at the paper, Yugi looked at his friends. "It's just a bit further, guys."

At hearing this, the two boys quickened their pace, wanting to get there, a.s.a.p.

"Next time, I'm taken' a bus."

* * *

At the near top of the hill, the four soon found the Elric's preparing to move in. But there was something missing.

"Yo, Yugi. Where's the house?"

Yes. There was no house. Only the Elric's car and moving trailer. But before Yugi could answer them, a familiar voice called out.

"That's because we haven't made it yet."

The four looked to their right to find Erin approaching them. She was dressed in a black tank top with a pair of denim jean shorts and wearing Velcro sandals, revealing her automail. She had her hair in her usual braid.

Yugi smiled at his childhood friend.

"Hey, Erin."

The young alchemist grinned. "Hey, guys."

"Hi, everyone." Alice told them as she wheeled over. Her hair was in a ponytail and she was dressed in a blue tank top and shorts. She didn't have the blanket on today.

The four greeted the Elric Sisters as the Brothers came out of the woods to greet them.

"There you are. We were wondering what was keeping you." Edward grinned.

Tea bowed. "We're sorry, Mr. Elric. But we had to figure out where you live now first."

"That's alright, Tea. But please, call me and Al by our first names. Mr. Elric not only makes us feel old, and it gets confusing as well."

The group laughed at Ed's remark.

After the laughter ceased, Erin began their lesson as Ed, Al, and Alice prepare something by a pile of construction ingredients.

"Ok. Alchemy is the art of manipulating and altering matter by using natural energy. This act is known as 'Transmutation' and its sequence is usually described as Comprehension, which is the understanding the inherent structure and properties of the atomic or molecular makeup of a particular material to be transmuted, including the flow and balance of potential and kinetic energy within. Deconstruction, which is using energy to break down the physical structure of the identified material into a more malleable state so as to be easily reshaped into a new form. And finally, reconstruction, which is continuing the flow of energy so as to reform the material into a new shape.

"The proper application of this craft requires not only a full understanding of chemistry and ancient alchemical theory, but also a sort of natural talent towards recognizing and manipulating the physical objects with energy, which require uncommon levels of intelligence and aptitude." (**1**)

As Erin explained, the others followed her as she and her family gathered around a large transmutation circle. Yugi, Tea, and Bakura followed the lesson perfectly, while Joey and Tristan struggled to understand what in the world Erin was talking about.

_How the hell is she able to remember all of this?-Joey. _

_S__he must be some sort of genius or something.-Tristan._

Seeing that two of her students were not paying attention, Erin did what her grandfather did to get their attention. She hit the two on the head with her automail.

"HEY! PAY ATTENTION, YOU TWO!"

The two rubbed their heads while the other three sweat-dropped. Returning to the circle, Erin continued the lesson.

"Although alchemy is quite the science, it does have its limits. Above all, is the law of Equivalent Exchange."

"Equivalent Exchange?" Tea asked, now focused on the lesson again.

"That's right. 'Humankind cannot gain anything without giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost.' That is alchemy's fist law of Equivalent Exchange. In other words, you can't make something out of thin air, nor change something into something else that has completely different compounds and elements. There are two parts of Equivalent Exchange: The Law of Conservation of Mass, and The Law of Natural Providence."

Erin then gestured to the circle. "In order to make a house, all of the necessary materials must be present and at the right amount. If there is less 'ingredients', then we can't make much of a house that should be big enough for the four of us."

"So, it's kind of like a recipe. The more ingredients you have, the more of the finished product or products you will have." Bakura replied.

"Exactly." Erin replied as she and her family clapped their hands, beginning the transmutation process.

"Now. Step back and watch alchemy in motion."

It was then that the four Elric's placed their hands on the transmutation circle. The four (five if you count the Pharaoh) watched in amazement as the circle glowed blue, giving off electric sparks as the ingredients merged. A flash of light prevented them from seeing any further and were force to cover their eyes. Once the light dimmed, the four friends removed their hands and opened their eyes. What they saw astounded them.

What was once a pile of construction now had become a large, dark brown farmhouse with a porch out front. The covered porch had two ways off: the steps in front of the door, and the ramp on the side. The four were impressed even more as they noticed how the house blended into the scenery so well. It was as if the house had been there since the forest began.

Seeing the impressions of her students, Erin approached them with a smug grin on her face.

"Well, what do you think?"

"Awesome." Joey exclaimed.

"Wicked." Tristan answered.

"So this is alchemy. Fascinating." Bakura calmly replied.

"Incredible." Tea answered.

Yugi remained silent as his face beamed in amazement. Even though Erin had shown alchemy before, seeing this in real life was absolutely fascinating.

"Looks like you have some new students this semester, Miss Elric." Bakura replied with the others agreeing.

"That sounds great, but in order for you to become a student in Alchemy 101, you would have to have passed Physics and Chemistry." Alice told them as she came around the corner.

Yugi, Tea, and Bakura smiled while Joey and Tristan frowned. The two boys had yet to take and pass those two classes, so that means they could not get into the class. As the conversation continued, Edward took noticed of something inside the house while he and Al were examining it for any flaws.

Looking out of one of the three-glass windows, Ed called out to his granddaughters.

"Erin! Alice! The elevator you two added in the design is missing some vital wires. I'm gonna need you two go into town and pick up some alone with food and a new phone. Ok?"

The two Elric's looked up at their grandfather in acknowledgement. "Ok, Granddad."

Looking at the others, Erin asked her new friends.

"I supposed you heard that. If it's ok, can at least one of you show me and Alice around while getting the supplies we need?"

Seeing this as an opportunity to get out of heavy work, Joey stepped in front of his friends and saluted Erin.

"At your service, ma'am."

Seeing this, Tea sigh as she agreed to go along with them, mainly to keep an eye on Joey.

As the four left, the others began to work on moving the stuff in.

* * *

As the day went on to noon, the three teenagers entered the hardware store while Alice waited outside, interested in the city surrounding them. However, as she gazed around the street, she heard a boy's voice cry out in help.

Wheeling around the corner into an alley, Alice spotted a black-haired boy her age getting roughed up by some thugs.

"Are you done yet, Mr. Kaiba?"

"Yeah. We won't kill you. We're just gonna rough you up before making your big brother pay us for your safe return."

Alice covered her mouth in horror as she realized that she was witnessing a kidnapping.

"_Oh no. What should I do? Oh, I wish I could walk. Then maybe I can do something to stop them." _Alice thought.

As Alice thought that, she then remembered something. She had _Alchemy_! Taking a piece of chalk from one of the pockets of the chair and drew a transmutation circle on the wall. With the circle ready, the wheelchair-bound girl gulped before shouting.

"Hey you! Back off!"

The thugs looked behind them to find her, only to laugh. "Hah! And just what are you going to do about that, girly?"

Alice took a deep breath before clapping her hands.

"How about this!"

She then placed her hands on the transmutation circle and caused a pair of stone hands to come up from the wall and grab hold of the two thugs.

"What the-!"

"Is she a witch?"

The boy behind them watched in amazement as the disabled girl clapped her hands again.

"I'm not a witch! I'm an alchemist!"

Alice then placed her hands on the transmutation circle again, causing two more stone hands to appear. Said hands gave a swift blow on both of the thugs' heads, knocking them out.

With the thugs out of commission, Alice looked to the boy with a concerned look. "Are you alright?"

The boy, dazzled by this girl, her magic, and her courage, cleared his throat before he spoke up.

"Y-yeah. I'm alright. Thank you, Miss…"

"M-my name's Alice Elric. I just moved here with my family from Amestris."

The boy raised an eyebrow before repeating the last word. "Amestris?"

Alice nodded. "It's a country in mid-Europe. We specialize in alchemy."

The boy then remembered. "Oh yeah. I know that country. I learned about it in class and my brother plans on expanding his business there. Oh, by the way."

He then walked over to the girl and held out his hand.

"My name's Mokuba Kaiba. Thank you for saving me, Alice."

The girl looked puzzled for a moment before shaking his hand, smiling. "Pleasure to meet you, Mokuba."

* * *

As the three teens left the store, they notice someone was missing.

"Where's Alice?" Tea asked.

But before any of them could answer, they heard the laughter of children coming from around the corner. They looked to find Alice and Mokuba talking and laughing. They then looked further into the alley to find the two thugs hung up by stone hands.

"What the?" Joey asked, trying to figure out what was going on.

But Erin, the super genius of the group, figured it out quickly.

"Alice. Did you…?"

Hearing her sister, Alice stopped talking as she looked to her sister and her new friends, rubbing her head as she chuckled nervously.

"Sorry, sister. But they were going to kidnap Mokuba here…"

"?"

It was then Alice realized the lack of introductions.

"Oh. Uh. Everyone, this is Mokuba Kaiba. Mokuba, these are my friends and my sister." She then gestured to each one. "Joey Wheeler. Tea Gardner. And my older sister, Erin."

"Joey and I are familiar with Mokuba, Alice. But would you be so kind to tell us what exactly happened?"

"You guys do that. I might as well call Kaiba." Joey replied as he went back into the store.

* * *

An hour later, after getting the two kids some ice cream and explanations served, the two girls began to talk to each other.

"I can't believe your sister did that." Tea replied as she licked a vanilla cone.

Erin replied as she licked her strawberry cone.

"We Elric's are a brave family, particularly when someone needs our help. Although, I am surprised as you are. All I can say is that I am very proud of my little sister."

"You should be, especially since she rescued Mokuba Kaiba."

Erin looked at Tea questionably. Seeing that the alchemist wanted answers, Tea told her.

"Mokuba's older brother, Seto Kaiba, is the CEO of a major gaming corporation. He has made a large fortune over the years, making him and his brother, Mokuba, targets for anything such as kidnapping to corporate espionage."

"So, Alice saved someone whose brother is considered a big-time celebrity here."

Tea nodded. "Exactly."

* * *

Seeing that they were finished with their ice cream, Erin volunteered to discard the dirty napkins. As she picked them up, she noticed what flavors the five liked.

She liked Strawberry, Tea liked Vanilla, Joey (who joined them after the call) liked Chocolate, Alice liked Mint, and Mokuba liked Blueberry. (**2**)

The eldest Elric Sister could not help but smile at the results of the day so far. Especially Alice being so brave and making a new friend in Mokuba.

However, the universe was about to send her up S**t Creek without a paddle.

As she was heading back to the table, she lost focus and bumped into someone.

"Sorry about that." She replied.

But what she got was. "Watch it, shrimp."

This sent Erin into pissed-off mode. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A FLEA-SIZED MIDGET, YOU BASTARD?"

"You. That's who, shorty."

That did it. With that remark, Erin blindly began to fist fight with the guy. The pair landed punch after punch before Joey notice.

"Oh Crap!"

"What is it, Joey?" Tea asked.

"Look behind you."

Tea did to find Erin in a fight with a brunette boy they were all too familiar with.

Immediately, Joey grabbed by Erin by her underarms while Tea got in between the fighting pair.

"Enough. Both of you."

The boy got up, wiping blood onto his sleeve from his lip.

Erin, on the other hand, was clearly showing that she was not done.

"LET ME AT HIM! LET ME AT THAT BASTARD!"

"Easy, Fullmetal Princess. I know how you feel, but save it for later." Joey told her.

Seeing the scene, Mokuba wheeled Alice to the area.

"Are you ok, Seto?"

"Yes. I'm fine, Mokuba."

It was then that Alice realized who this boy was. Bowing (somewhat), Alice got the attention of the man who was Mokuba's older brother.

Ignoring Erin's rant, Mokuba spoke to Kaiba.

"This is Alice Elric, Seto. She was the one who saved me with her alchemy."

Alice then spoke, intimidated by Kaiba.

"I-I'm sorry for my older sister, Mister Kaiba. Despite her temper, Erin is a very nice girl. P-please forgive us."

Kaiba was silent for a minute before speaking.

"You are not the one at fault, Miss Alice. Whatever the quarrel we have is strictly between your sister and myself. Also, I thank you for aiding my younger brother."

At that moment, Alice was now struggling to keep consciousness.

Seeing this as an opportunity, Mokuba spoke to his brother again.

"Seto. Is it ok if I take Alice on a tour of Domino City and our home tomorrow? She and her family just moved here and I want to take the first step at being Alice's first Domino City friend."

Alice looked at Mokuba in surprise. Mokuba, despite what happened between their elder siblings, wanted to be her friend. After another chilling moment, Kaiba spoke again.

"Do as you wish."

Kaiba then left for the limo nearby, but not before giving Erin an icy glare. Erin gave off daggers in return. Seeing that it was time to go, Mokuba waved Good-bye after Alice gave him his address.

"See you tomorrow, Alice."

"See you tomorrow, Mokuba."

As soon as the Kaibas had left, Joey and Tea managed to calm Erin down. But as she was being scolded by Tea, Erin looked at her happy sister.

Even after the fight, Erin smiled at the scene. Her little sister made her first, and possibly best, friend in Domino City.

"Come on, let's go back."

* * *

_Whew! Finally, after months of demands and writer's block, I manage to get chapter 3 up and running._

_A couple of things before I conclude this chapter._

_(1) I got this from wikipedia, since I had no clue on how to explain alchemy like a genius. _

_(2) I don't know if there is such a thing as Blueberry Ice Cream, but I made this for the fic. (It would be nice to try something like it though.)_

_Read and review, please._


	4. Winne and the First Dream

**Chapter 3**

**Winnie and the First Dream**

_Sorry for the long wait. Writer's Block is a b****! I know I have been needed for an update, so sorry if this chapter doesn't meet your expectations._

_Oh! I almost forgot. A reader asked me if I could turn this fic from a T-rated to an M-rated and put in lemons. Please! Tell me what you think of this Idea. If there are a lot of people who say yes, then such changes will occur. But I can't do that without your opinions._

_Thank you_

* * *

With the Kaiba event taken care of, the Elric Sisters, Tea, and Joey made their way back to the Elric house. When they got back, Yugi greeted the four youths.

"Hey, guys. We were starting to wonder what…"

He then noticed the scratches and bruises on Erin's body. His face filled with worry.

"Erin! What happened to you?"

But before she could answer, Joey spoke.

"She got into a fight with Kaiba when he called her short. Not that he didn't deserve it, though."

Looking at his friends, Yugi spoke in disbelief.

"How did that happen?"

"We'll tell you later after we help the Elric's settle in." Tea responded.

"Hey! The bastard deserved a beating!" Erin spoke in protest.

But as Tea was about to scold her, a small object came out of nowhere and hit Erin smack dab in the forehead, causing her to fall on her back with a goose egg on her head.

This was followed by a voice yelling, "YOU'VE GOTTEN INTO ANOTHER FIGHT? ON YOUR FIRST DAY HERE? I CAN'T LEAVE YOU ALONE FOR ONE MINUTE!"

Alice gapped as she looked back to the road that leads to the property. She beamed happily as she called a pair of names.

"Winnie! Granny Winry!"

The entire party looked to the road to find two female figures exiting an old-time pick-up truck. The driver was a woman in her sixties, though she had only a few wrinkles. Her hair was long and pulled back in a ponytail at the nape of her neck and she was dressed in a blue t-shirt, black cotton pants, and socks with tennis shoes.

The second female figure was no doubt the same age as Erin and had the same blond hair, but with blue eyes. Her hair was fluffier and tied back in a high ponytail. She was dressed in a black tube top with denim shorts and sandals. She had a head scarf tied to her head in the color violet as well as brown gloves. And from the look on her face, she was ticked, but turned pleasant when Alice called her name.

"Hey, Alice! It's been a while."

The younger girl then glared at Erin, who was struggling to recover from the Wrench of Doom that was thrown at her.

"Do you have any idea how hard I worked on that automail? I told you to be careful when you fight, but I've never expected you'd get into a fight this early!"

"That's enough, Winnie." The older woman spoke. "No need to explode in front of their new friends."

As the group began to sweat-drop at what the woman said, Ed called out from behind the youths.

"Hey, Winry. Winnie. What are you two doing here?"

The older woman, Winry, smiled at her old friend.

"We just came to see how everyone is doing and to check on your automail. Although, Winnie just added a few things onto her list of things to do."

"Does that include throwing a wrench at my head?" Erin asked, rubbing the goose egg as she gave an annoyed glare at Winnie.

"Hey! I told you not to get into fights for the first couple of weeks. Not one the first day!" Winnie replied, bending down to examine Erin's automail.

Yugi and his friends looked to Alice for answers. Chuckling sheepishly, Alice answered their answered questions.

"Those two are the Rockbell's. They've been friends with the family since before Granddad was even born. They were our neighbors and our resident automail mechanics. Granny Winry is Granddad's mechanic and her granddaughter, Winnie, is Erin's. Despite her…impression, she's actually a really nice girl and one of Big Sister's childhood friends."

"Oh~" Was the response of the group.

Well…almost everyone. As soon as Winnie came into view, Joey gawked at her, mesmerized by her beauty. This recent feeling of his increased when she, after the introductions, began to explain the mechanics of automail. Everyone was very interested with automail engineering, but no one paid more attention to Winnie's words than Joey. It was as if the angels had heard his prayers about finding the right girl and they had answered. Tea looked at Joey and raised an eyebrow.

_"What's with Joey? He's been staring at Winnie since she came here. Could he really…?"_

As Tea continued to think, the group then headed into the house and began to take a break for the day. It was then that Yugi and his friends introduced themselves to the Rockbell's, who recognized Yugi from Erin's video letters.

Once inside, Al, Alice, and Tea, who volunteered to help out, made lunch for everyone while Winnie finished up her examination. While she was finishing up, Tristan looked at Joey, who was drooling. Seeing the signs long before Tea, the brown-haired duelist grinned as he whispered to himself.

"Looks like Joey's fallen for Winnie."

* * *

As they ate lunch, Erin, Alice, Joey, and Tea told what had happened at the Ice Cream Parlor. Tristan laughed his butt off as he heard about Erin's and Kaiba's fight. Bakura chuckled lightly while Yugi sighed. He should've known something like this would happen.

As they were finishing up, Winry and Winnie noticed that Ed and Erin didn't drink their milk, something that made their eyes twitch.

"You didn't drink your milk." Winry spoke.

The Fullmetal Alchemist and his granddaughter looked away, veins popping on their heads.

"Why should we?" Ed asked.

"You two of all people know that we hate milk." Erin spoke.

"YOU TWO ARE GOING TO DIE SMALL IF YOU KEEP THOSE STUPID EXCUSES UP!" The automail mechanics yelled in frustration.

That made the two blow their tops.

"SHUT UP! WE DON'T HAVE TO DRINK IT IF WE DON'T WANNA!" Erin yelled.

"SHE'S RIGHT. WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO DRINK WHATEVER WE WANT TO OR NOT!" Ed yelled in agreement.

As the two Elric's argued with the Rockbell women, Tea looked at Al and Alice, sweat-dropping.

"Are they always like this?"

"Sadly, yes."

"And yet, they remain the best of friends." Al and Alice replied.

* * *

Eventually, the fight ended and it was time for the Rockbell's to head out.

"Remember to call for a check-up at least every two months. We need to keep that automail in top shape."

"We know, Winifred. You don't have to tell us a hundred times." Erin gripped at Winnie, using her full first name to show annoyance.

"Are you sure you want to leave? I mean…how are the chances of Erin and Ed breaking their automail?" Joey asked, hoping to get Winnie to stay longer.

Winnie gave it some thought before she remembered how cocky Erin and Ed are.

"Hmmm. You're right, Joey. I should set up shop here so that I can keep an eye on them."

"And where exactly are you going to live?" Erin asked annoyed.

"Why, with you of course." Winnie answered smugly.

"No way in Hell!" Erin retorted.

And again, the two blonds began to argue again. Sighing at this, Alice apologized to Yugi and his friends again.

"Sorry about them."

"Don't worry about it, Alice. Despite the fighting, the Rockbell's seem like nice people." Bakura told Alice.

"Yeah. Although I'd watch out for someone who would get them to fight constantly." Tea replied while glaring at Joey.

The fight ended with Winry giving Winnie permission to set up shop in Domino so that the automail mechanic could keep surveillance on the elder Elric's automail. But that wouldn't happen for a couple of months, which disappointed Joey. And once the Rockbell's had left for Amestris once again, it was dusk. Yugi and his friends agreed to hang out with Erin in the morning while Alice was at the Kaiba's with Mokuba. They bid farewell as Erin and Edward went inside to put ice on the goose eggs that the mechanics gave them with their Wrenches of Doom.

* * *

**Meanwhile, while Yugi and Atem were asleep…**

That night, Yugi was feeling uncomfortable as he felt the night air becoming hot but some coolness remained to make the night bearable. But for some odd reason, he couldn't open his eyes. And he was having the strangest dream with this change of air.

_Yugi found himself in a walled garden bathed in the moonlight. He saw a variety of exotic plants that a large portion was in bloom. Though he knew he was asleep, he could smell the various fragrances of each blossom and could feel every detail of each petal and leaf he touched._

_This was truly someone's private garden to have such beautiful flora. But whose was is? The King of Games got his answer when he turned around to find an Egyptian palace towering over the garden. _

_"This has got to be one of Atem's missing memories."_

_But then his thoughts were interrupted as he heard something rustle in the bushes. Yugi noticed his body reacting to the sudden sound by turning around and ducking where the sound was. For some reason, he wasn't frightened. He was feeling intrigued of what in the world was able to come into this garden._

_He then saw a figure crouching toward an orchid he recognized was vanilla by its scent. It seemed that the figure was drawn to the white flowers on the tree and was making a move. _

_But as the figure was about to pick a blossom, Yugi felt himself standing up and yelling, "Halt!"_

_This startled the silhouette causing it to recoil their hand. _

_The figure was about to turn when he called, "Wait! Don't go!"_

* * *

Yugi woke up as the last of the night was beginning to wane. The hot air had faded back into its usual coolness and caressed his warm body. He wondered who was the figure he had seen in the dream, what was it doing in the garden, and why was it attracted to the vanilla?

Yugi sighed as he lay back down. Maybe he was just tired from all of the work that had been done the previous day. Yes. That must've been it.

The King of Games then closed his eyes, unaware that a few miles away, high on a hill, a familiar golden haired girl was dead asleep. The fragrance of vanilla could be smelt on her body.

* * *

_Again, sorry for the long wait. If anyone has any ideas on how I should do the chapter after the next one, feel free to tell me. The ideas I like will be in and I will let the readers know who's ideas was it._

_The next chapter will be the first of many Alice/Mokuba chapters. Get ready for the cuteness. I also hope that I brought up some interesting mysteries of Atem's past._

_Please read and review please._


	5. Alice and Mokuba's Secret Project

**Chapter 4**

**Alice and Mokuba's Secret Project**

_Sorry this is late. Seriously, they need to invent medication that takes care of Writer's Block. I'm gonna put up a poll if you guys want me to turn this into an M-rated fic or not._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

The following morning, Yugi was not only still sleepy, he was still thinking about that dream. Who was that shadowy figure? And what did it want with the vanilla? Whatever it was, he wasn't the only one who was thinking about it. As they were sharing the same body, Atem had seen the same dream and agreed with Yugi that it had some significant appearance to it. But what was it?

Deciding to set the dream aside for now, Yugi got out of bed and got dressed in another summer style. Even though the house was made and they spent all day helping the Elric's move in, there were still some things that needed to be moved in. Also, it was the day that Alice was going to visit Mokuba and he had to make sure Erin wouldn't follow and end up in another fight with Kaiba.

After breakfast, Yugi met up with his friends at the Elric's house this time. Well, it took Joey and Tristan a little longer, since they forgot to set their alarms again. They were greeted by Alice, who was being wheeled out by Erin.

"Hi, everyone." Said Alice.

The gang saw that Alice was dressed in a Robin's Egg blue blouse with a black ankle-length skirt with black flats and white stockings, her brunette hair tied in a low side-ponytail. Erin, on the other hand, was dressed in a black shirt with the sleeves torn off and a pair of equally torn-made shorts while wearing black boots on her feet.

It was as clear as day that the two sisters were complete opposites. Alice was as sweet as cherry pie and Erin was a rough-and-tumble kind of gal. On this particular day, the younger was giving a pleasant, exasperated smile; while the elder had a pissed-off look.

Ignoring the grumpy-looking sister, Tea spoke to Alice.

"Looking good, Alice. Blue's defiantly your color."

Alice smiled at her.

"Thank, Tea."

Joey chuckled.

"All ready for your hot date with Mokuba. Eh, kiddo?"

The former blushed.

"I-it's not a date!"

But as Joey was laughing it up, Tristan placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Uh…Joey? I suggest you stop laughing now."

When he did, Joey saw that Erin was madder than before. She was looking like she went for years without punching someone in the mouth. Trying to calm the teen down, Ryou spoke to her.

"There's no reason for you to be so angry, Erin. Mokuba's a nice kid and he'll no doubt take good care of your sister."

"Oh. I trust Mokuba. It's his _brother_ I'm having problems with." Emphasized Erin.

Just as Erin said that, a black limo pulled onto the road next to the Elric's home. When it stopped, Kaiba and Mokuba got out of the car. Mokuba ran over to the gang.

"Hey, guys!"

The teens greeted Mokuba as he approached Alice and Erin. Erin managed to plaster a smile on her face as the boy approached them.

"Hey, Alice. Erin."

"Hey, kid." Erin spoke.

"Hi, Mokuba." Said Alice.

As the two kids began to talk, Kaiba leaned on the limo, looking cynical as ever. He gave a glare at Erin and that pissed her off even more.

"Let's go, Mokuba. If we stay here any longer, we'll have a mutt and a shrimp biting our hands."

Tristan held back Joey while Yugi and Ryou held back Erin. Both blonds were pissed.

"Again with the Mutt comment! I have a name you know, you stuck up peacock!"

"SHRIMP! I'LL SHOW YOU SHRIMP! LEMME GO, YOU TWO! HE DESERVES A BEATING!"

Alice hid her face with her hands while Mokuba wheeled her over to the limo. As the boys held the enraged blonds back, Tea called out.

"See you later!"

The kids said their good-byes and entered the limo, though the driver had to put Alice' wheelchair in the trunk.

As they left, Alice remained silent. Not only was she embarrassed by her sister's short fuse and that she was nervous about this day, but Seto appeared intimidating. She could tell right away that she didn't want to get on his bad side.

* * *

When the trio arrived at the Kaiba's manor, Alice was amazed at the beauty and size of the estate as Mokuba and Kaiba spoke.

"I'm going back to KaibaCorp, Mokuba. I'm overseeing the development of a new Duel Disk among other things. Be sure to return Miss Elric home before dark. Otherwise, I'd have the wrath of her pipsqueak elder sister to deal with."

"Got it, Seto." Mokuba sadly watched as he brother drove away to the family business, but smiled as he returned his attention to Alice.

"Sorry about Seto. He may look mean, but he's actually a nice guy."

Alice sighed.

"And I'm sorry about my sister. She has inherited Granddad's short temper."

Mokuba waved his hand in defense.

"N-no. Don't worry about it. Let's go inside and see what we can do?"

As Mokuba wheeled Alice in, the disabled girl marveled at the wealthy-looking interior as she did the exterior. She never thought that in her life would she be inside such a place. It was spacious and larger then both her old and new homes put together. As she gazed at the structure, a question came to Alice's mind.

"Hey, Mokuba."

"Yeah?"

"What does your family do to have such a big house? Is it some sort of business?"

Mokuba thought a bit before he came up with an answer.

"Yeah. My big brother is the CEO of KaibaCorp."

Alice raised her eyebrow in confusion.

"KaibaCorp? What do they do?"

Mokuba's eyes widened.

"Wait. You mean you've never _heard _of KaibaCorp? How do you play Duel Monsters in Amestris?"

Alice shook her head.

"We've never heard of Duel Monsters, either. At least, my family never heard of it."

Mokuba was surprised. This girl, the girl who saved his life, never even heard of Duel Monsters. Was the game really not as spread out as he thought? But, that also meant that his and his brother's status in the gaming world was also unknown to the Elric. So she saved him for honest reasons. Mokuba sighed in relief that this girl wasn't a poser like the kids he dealt with before.

"You haven't? How 'bout I show you?"

He then set Alice at the mansion's den, asking a butler to get a fire going in the fireplace across the room.

"I'll be right back. My deck's in my room."

Alice nodded as Mokuba left, wheeling herself around the room to examine the décor.

The butler, who had lit the fire earlier, saw her moving about and asked her, "Would you like for me to aid you in your mobility, Miss?"

His sudden voice startled her, but Alice calmed herself and spoke.

"No thank you. I'm fine."

After she examined the room, she decided to pull out a loop of string and began to recite the laws of alchemy, starting with the first and most important rule, while playing Cat's Cradle.

"Humankind cannot gain anything unless something is given in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is the Law of Equivalent Exchange."

At the sound of the door opening, Alice looked up and saw Mokuba, who was holding a pair of decks and a gaming mat.

"Sorry it took so long. My room's not that organized."

He then noticed the string.

"What's with the string?"

Looking at her string, Alice answered as she made another shape with it.

"It's called Cat's Cradle. It's a very old, yet very fun, game."

Even at the orphanage, Mokuba had never heard of the game, but now he was interested.

"How do you play?"

Alice looked at Mokuba, his decks, then back at Mokuba.

"What about your card game?"

Mokuba remembered his deck and realized why Alice was concerned. After some thought, he spoke to Alice.

"How about I teach you how to play Duel Monsters, if you teach me how to play Cat's Cradle."

Looking at grandfather clock, Alice answered him with a smile.

"Well, we have all day."

* * *

Hours later, Mokuba had taught Alice on how to play Duel Monsters and Alice had taught him to play Cat's Cradle, though it took Alice a little longer to understand the rules and how Duel Monsters was played. As they played, Alice and Mokuba exchanged their stories. Ultimately, when they were alone, Alice told him about the conditions of her three family members. The revelation shocked Mokuba but kept silent. He knew that if it came to it that his brother would have tried the same thing.

"So, is there any way to get their bodies back?"

Alice was hesitant, but she knew that she could trust Mokuba with her secret project.

She nodded before she asked, "If I tell you, will you promise not to tell anyone? Not even our families?"

Mokuba nodded, letting Alice know that she could trust him.

Sighing, Alice told him what she was planning.

"Me and my sister have studied alchemy and a bit of alkahestry, Xingsese alchemy, ever since we learned to read. One day, we found out about an item called the Philosopher's Stone. Apparently, this stone is supposed to be able to bypass the laws of alchemy, including Equivalent Exchange. We later learned that our grandfather and granduncle spent most of their youth trying to find it. Then we learned how a Philosopher's Stone can be made."

"How?" Mokuba asked, interested.

Alice frowned.

"When they were young, my grandfather and granduncle uncovered a conspiracy to make the stone. And with the help from a man named Dr. Marcoh, they found out that the main ingredient for a stone is…" She gulped. "…human life."

Mokuba gasped and paled.

"Y-you're not trying to…"

Alice interrupted.

"No-no! I wouldn't stoop that low to make a stone. And as you can tell, my family has the same moral ideas. No, my project is to make a Philosopher's Stone _without_ using human lives."

A puzzled Mokuba gave her an inquiring look.

"How?"

Alice frowned further.

"That's the part of the project I've been working on for years. And sadly, I'm still no closer."

After a few minutes of silence and Cat's Cradle, Mokuba spoke.

"Any idea how long you think you can find a way?"

Alice shook her head.

"I'm smart. But I'm not psychic. Who knows when I'll be able to find it?"

It was then that Mokuba got an idea.

"Hey. How about I help you out? You know, to make the stone?"

Alice looked at him as if there was an alien on his head.

"Are you crazy? No offense, but I don't think you know a thing about alchemy."

Mokuba shook his head.

"I know that. But you can teach me and with another alchemic mind on the project, maybe we can find a way to make the stone faster."

Alice blinked. She wanted to protest, but Mokuba had a point. She couldn't ask her family for help. Not even her sister. But if someone on the outside helped her, then maybe her search would finally come to an end.

"Are you sure? It isn't as easy as 1, 2, and 3. You would be learning thing that high school, even college students learn on a daily basis."

Mokuba puffed his cheeks.

"I can handle it. I may not run KaibaCorp yet, but I am smart. So bring it on."

Alice sighed before she smiled at him.

"Alright. But don't say I didn't warn you."

* * *

When Alice returned home that evening, the house had been fully furnished and the elevator she and her sister installed was working when she went to bed. She told Erin what was going one while she helped the younger sibling into bed. Minus their plan on making a Philosopher's Stone.

"So, what did you and Mokuba do today?"

"He showed me his manor and taught me how to play Duel Monsters, while I taught him how to play Cat's Cradle. I also taught him a few things about alchemy."

"Really? Sounds like you've had a busy day." Said Erin.

Alice nodded.

"Yeah. And we're going to explore Domino City next week."

Erin snickered. "A private tour, huh?"

Alice blushed at the double meaning of the sentence.

"Sister! Don't tease me." Erin laughed, ruffling her sister's hair.

"Ah, I was just messing with you, sis. In the meantime, get some sleep. Yugi's invited us over to the park tomorrow. So get plenty of rest."

Alice smiled as she lay down.

"I will."

Erin ruffled her hair once more before she turned off the lamp and closed the door as she left.

* * *

_Please review and no flaming allowed._


	6. Sparring

**Chapter 6**

**Sparring**

_I LIVE! Super sorry for the long wait, but once again, Writer's Blocked infected my brain. In my frustration, I started a related fic called "His Golden Queen." It was originally a part of this story, but I decided since I couldn't press on, I'll work on the related fic. There are two italicized lines from the fic near the bottom. _

_Hope you all enjoy!_

_I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Fullmetal Alchemists. Just the OC's._

* * *

It was the following day after Alice played at the Kaiba mansion and Yugi was eager to finally 'talk' with his pen pal instead of helping her and her family move. His friends felt the same way, all of them wanting to know more about the Elric's. But the dream Yugi had the previous night still plagued his mind. Who was that figure? And why was it after some vanilla? The King of Games decided to push the dream out of his mind for now. He would wait and see if he would have any more dreams like that. Maybe even clearer ones.

The dream was soon temporarily forgotten as Yugi reached the Elric Residence. He got up early and decided to go on ahead and walk some of the way. Once he reached the top of the forested hill, Yugi turned to witness the incredible view of Domino City from the Elric's perch. Even though he loved living in his grandfather's game shop with the old man, Yugi could not help but envy the Elric's for such a view.

"Yugi?" a tired voice spoke.

Yugi turned and had to turn back to his original position with a blush on his face, for Erin was standing outside in cotton shorts and a too-large t-shirt that had a picture of a purple transmutation circle on the front.

"E-Erin! What-what are you doing up?" Yugi stuttered.

Yawning, Erin gave her answer.

"I could ask you the same thing. I was sleeping in bed and somehow, I knew someone was approaching our place. When I looked out the window, I saw that it was you."

She then approached the blushing boy; clearly she was the taller of the two by a few inches.

"Is everything ok?"

The King of Games gulped as he tried his best to answer his close friend without having an indecent thought about her. Finally, he gave her an answer.

"Uh, Erin? Could you…well at least…please put on a robe?"

Erin, no longer dazed with sleepiness, realized what he was talking about and looked down. Like the boy, she blushed.

"Uh~… I'll be right back."

Erin then dashed inside and returned to her room, quiet so as not to wake her grandfather and sister or alert Alphonse, who never slept since his transmutation; grabbed a robe, and dashed out while putting it on.

Once she donned the garment, she spoke to Yugi.

"Ok, Yugi. You can look now."

Yugi thank the stars and turned to the now-robed Erin, now more alert.

"Sorry about that. You know what happens when you're half-asleep. You can't think straight."

Yugi waved his hands in defense, still blushing.

"N-no, no! Don't worry about it. It's my fault it happened. I just couldn't get back to sleep and-!"

Yugi held his tongue before he could finish. He still hadn't told Erin about Atem and he still hadn't found the words to help convince her that magic is indeed real. It was a delicate project and one that needed some time and planning before the unveiling. But Erin had that look of suspicion in her golden eyes, making the King of Games anxious. Folding her arms, Erin spoke.

"Are you saying you had a nightmare, Yugi?"

The look Erin gave was more like a mother's than a serious scientist. Yugi knew that she was concerned immediately. The two of them had been friends since they were kids and with the video letters, they probably could have picked up expressions that are hidden from plain sight.

Knowing that there was no way out, Yugi sighed.

"Sort of."

He then felt the alchemist's warm fleshed hand on his shoulder, which was warm enough to sense some of it through his tank top strap. Erin's look of concern grew more visible as she spoke.

"Wanna talk about it? It might make you feel better."

Yugi nodded and explained his dream the best he could without revealing the pharaoh inside his Millennium Puzzle as he and Erin sat on a bench that overlooked the city. Erin listened carefully, making sure she was focused on Yugi. But as she did she noticed that Yugi, despite the two of them being able to see each other over the years through video, seemed a lot cuter than normally.

Of all the friends she made, she was very fond of Yugi. They had a lot of similar traits that went beyond them witnessing the horrible night that took her limbs. They had both lost their parents at a young age, they lived with their grandfathers, and they were both 'fun-sized' as her grandfather called the two of them being short.

She valued her friendship with Yugi greatly. But now that he was right next to her outside a television set, Erin could not help but notice that her heart rate was increasing at a rapid pace. What was wrong with her? Was it something she ate the other day? Or was it from lack of sleep. Whatever the reason, she wasn't the only one.

As he told Erin about his dream, Yugi also noticed that his heart rate had gone up as well. At first, he thought it was because Erin was dressed in a shirt and some shorts earlier. But even after she grabbed a robe, his heart still didn't slow down. In fact, it had increased. Yugi's emotions toward Erin were similar with one factor: he though she was absolutely beautiful in real life.

As he neared the end of the story, Yugi noticed something odd about Erin. She smelled like vanilla. Dismissing any connections until further notice, Yugi ended his story.

"-so here I am."

"And this dream won't stop bugging you now?"

Yugi nodded at Erin's question. The alchemist gave the matter some thought until she got an idea. Standing up, she pulled Yugi to a large patch of lawn that was at the right side of the house. There was a wooden fence that ran along the border of the lawn and the stone walkway.

"E-Erin! What are you doing?" Yugi asked in surprise.

Once they were in the center of the patch, Erin turned to him and answered him.

"Come on. Let's spar!"

The declaration surprised Yugi. He had just told Erin about a weird dream and now she wants to fight him?

"S-spar? But…why?"

Erin placed her hands on her hips after discarding the robe, no longer caring about her clothing state.

"It's something my granddad taught me. Sometimes, to get your brain working, a little movement is the key. And sparring's the best movement for the mind. The use of quick thinking can help push one thought out our aid in processing another. If we sparred, then maybe the dream-thoughts can go away."

At first, Yugi thought it was a crazy idea. But he knew that he needed to think of something else. And unfortunately, Erin had begun sparring before he could make a different decision.

Erin spoke as she tried to land a couple of light punches at Yugi's body, the latter dodging.

"We'll start off small. I know you don't like fighting, but consider this exercising for both the body and the mind. You need to make quick decisions and land a couple of blows on me. The first to five light punches wins the match."

Yugi was grateful for Erin's consideration for his smaller body and decided to spar, since there was no other way out of it. Unfortunately, Erin landed her blows before Yugi could even make one. Panting, Yugi spoke.

"Hey…No fair…I wasn't ready."

Erin gave off her signature grin and spoke.

"Wanna try again?"

Throughout the early hours after dawn, Yugi and Erin sparred, having to stop only for bathroom breaks, breakfast (Erin's treat), and a change of clothes for Erin. She was dressed in her usual black duds and still she won every match. By the time Joey and the others made it to the Elric home, Yugi was only able to land three blows before Erin won. The quartet of friends stared awkwardly at the pair. Joey was the one to grab their attention.

"Uh…Yug? Why are ya fightin' with Erin?"

Panting, Yugi answered him.

"We're not fighting…Joey….We're…sparring…"

That was still a weird thing to hear from their pacifist friend.

"Sparring? Why?" Tea asked in a concerned tone.

Erin proceeded to explain.

"Yugi here was having trouble getting rid of some thoughts. So I figured if we could get his mind focused on making quick decisions, they'll go away."

Tea was about to protest when Joey spoke up.

"Yeah, I get that."

Tristan smirked at his friend.

"You do? Never thought you'd get anything. It took you, what, a month before you could get good at Duel Monsters because you couldn't make a good strategy?"

Joey immediately flared his nostrils at the brunette as he turned to him.

"What'd ya say, Tristan?!"

The group watched as the two teens began to fight with one another before a voice caused them to stop.

"SHUDDAP, YOU TWO! I WAS TRYING TO GET SOME SLEEP!"

The voice caused the teens' head to turn towards the entrance. To their surprise and the boys' fear, Edward Elric, dressed casual, was fuming mad.

It was then Joey then did something stupid.

"This is between me an' Tristan, Mr. E. No need to get yer pint-sized claws out."

Erin face-palmed as her grandfather charged at the two boys.

"WHAT'D YOU SAY ABOUT BEING PINT-SIZED, BRAT?!"

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Erin called into the house.

"Uncle Al! Granddad's in a fight again."

Immediately, Alphonse came out of the house as he struggled to break up the fighting, Tea and Ryou helping him.

Out of instinct, Yugi grasped Erin by the wrist and brought her away from the fight. Noticing the action right away, Erin began to speak once the two were behind the house.

"Yugi! What the…"

But her words trailed off when Yugi began laughing. She blinked a few times to make sure she was seeing what she thought she was seeing.

"What's so funny?"

She asked, placing her hands on her hips. Yugi managed to quell his laughing fit enough for him to explain.

"I'm sorry. H –heh... It just that…heh….your grandpa cracks me up sometimes."

Erin blinked again. Her grandfather and his friends were in a scuffle…and he was laughing.

She scrambled to put her thoughts together when she noticed something.

He was laughing.

No more than a couple of hours ago, he was plagued by a dream that refused to leave him in the waking world. Now, he was laughing at the spectacle that was happening.

Soon, she started laughing too.

Even in the videos, Yugi loved Erin's laugh. It was a strong, vibrant laugh that matched her personality. And her smile. He could just watch her smile all day. Of the things he cherished, Erin's smile was amongst the top of his list. Ever since the first video.

* * *

Inside the Millennium Puzzle, Atem watched as the two teenagers laughed together. While he smiled at how happy Yugi was, the pharaoh was still plagued at how familiar the girl was to him. And the feeling would not go away. Something about Erin Elric just set something off in him.

From what he could describe the feeling, it was longing. Longing for a missing piece. A missing piece he believed came from when he was alive in Ancient Egypt. He was certain that when he had his final duel with Yugi, that was the end of it. He remembered his court, his life, even his own name.

So why couldn't he rest?

Atem then proceeded to lay down on his bed within the Puzzle and closed his eyes, his view of the outside world closed so he could leave the bonding teenagers be. But the minute he closed his eyes, the dream Yugi had the night before came to him. But there was a difference.

The mystery figure had golden hair.

It was then another image appeared before him. This time, it was an image of blurred colors. And with sound as he could hear his voice. The voice from his past.

_"I still intend on making you my queen… And I know you would not take to the idea. But I ask you this. Would being my wife be any worse that what you and your sister are going through right now? Don't you wish you could give your sister a better life after what she has gone through?"_

Atem could not hear the name, but held his breath as a new, yet familiar voice spoke serenely.

_"Very well. I will marry you."_

Atem jolted from his bed as the dream ended, drenched in sweat. When he fell asleep, he was puzzled. Now awake, he finally figured out what was missing. He gazed off into nothingness as he muttered his revelation.

"Gods. I had a wife."

* * *

_Please review._


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